Cat and Mouse
by Copper Daisy
Summary: Currently discontinued. Will eventually be re-written and uploaded as an AU to an upcoming story of mine titled Shades of Blue.
1. An Innocence Lost

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh in any way shape or form unless you count the cards in my deck. T'Kai and Audrey, however, do belong to me so you can't tell me otherwise.  
  
Chapter One: An Innocence Lost  
  
A small girl stood beside a barred window, her thin face ghostly and tear stained in the moonlight that streamed through the dirty glass. Her arms hung limply at her sides, blood oozing from the wounds on them to trickle down to her fingertips and drip onto the floor like rain drops. Her hair was matted in a hundred different places. her clothes stained a permanent red with her own blood. In the room below hers the lion paced, growling about the mess she had made. The carpet in the living room was soaked in blood, leaving a trail that made its way up the stairs. A bloody hand print marked the wall where the girl had paused on her way up to her room, stopping to catch her breath and energy. Outside rain clouds rolled over the moon, plunging the girl upstairs into a darkness that made her quake in fear. She could hear her step father lock the doors, could hear him shutting the blinds. She could feel more then hear him make his way up the stairs towards her room. There was no escaping the hell that she lived in and there was no one to help her now.  
  
The girl spun around as her doorknob slowly twisted. Her eyes darted around quickly, looking for anything that might save her but nothing was within reach. Her step father pushed the door open and entered the room, his eyes gleaming in the darkness like two hot embers; he didn't bother closing the door behind him. The girl shrank away from him, cowering in the corner near the window.  
  
"You have been a very bad girl, staining the carpet and wall with your blood." the man hissed like a cat toying with a mouse. The girl simply watched the floor before her, not meeting his hateful gaze. A rough hand reached out and yanked her head up by her hair, making her whimper in pain. He forced her to look him in the eye as a murderous anger took over.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you to look at me when I talk to you!?" he roared as she choked out an apology. He slapped her harshly, making her eyes fill with more tears as the pain reached her brain. He threw her back against the wall, not even caring that her head cracked against the brick reinforced wall. A small gasp escaped the girl before she fell onto her side, clutching her head. Her step father towered over her, delivering a sharp kick to her ribs while telling her how weak and useless she was.  
  
Silently the girl begged for someone to help her. Her heart raced as she felt something in the back of her mind pulling while her chest felt as if it were about to explode. Her step father took a step back, glaring at her as if she was a witch or mutant. Bewildered, she took a risk and looked down at her chest to see a glowing falcon's head protruding from it. White hot void-like orbs had replaced the eyes and dark blue feathers covered the head with the exception of gold feathers around its eyes to form the shape of something similar to the eyes on the paintings on the walls of Egyptian tombs. The voids remained locked on the girl's step father as the shoulders and part of the bird's back emerged from her chest, glowing as well. Below the head all the feathers were the same white color as the eyes. As the wings and the rest of the bird's body emerged the girl could see that in the middle of its back it had a sun-like shape that was the same gold as the markings around the eyes. The bird's pin feathers were tipped in black while its feet were solid white like most of its body. The bird took a moment to settle itself before it began to melt, the glow ever present.  
  
The glowing feathers were replaced by tawny fur decorated by rose-shaped spots. The wings disappeared, two feline front legs taking their place. The tail feathers melted together before stretching out to form a long, thin feline tail. The bird's head was replaced by that of a leopard, the color and markings around the eyes the only thing that remained of the bird. The glow began to dim and fade out as the leopard grew to the size it should have been. Bearing its teeth, the leopard crouched in preparation to attack. Its tail lashed back and forth in agitation as the girl's step father began to retreat from the room. He never got the chance to for at that moment the leopard pounced.  
  
Both the cat and the man tumbled down the stairs, landing at the bottom with a thud. The girl pulled herself up to her feet painfully and stumbled out of her room to watch what was happening. Down below the leopard was just getting to its feet, striking out at the man with its claws out stretched. The man bellowed in pain as the claws slashed his chest, leaving deep gashes. The leopard tackled the man to the ground, attempting to sink its fangs into his throat and strangle him until he died. In desperation the man grabbed the nearest thing, which just happened to be a book, and slammed it down onto the leopard's head. With a yowl of pain the great cat jumped back, allowing the man to jump to his feet and reach the front door.  
  
He yanked and pulled on the knob, trying to open the door. In his panic he had forgotten that he had locked the door earlier. With a snarl the leopard attacked his unprotected back, sinking its teeth into the back of his next and pulling him down. There, it stood over him as he withered beneath it. It tightened its grip and yanked its head up, successfully snapping his neck. With a savage growl it let go and stepped back, heading back towards the stairs.  
  
/Audrey, are you alright?\ a concerned voice asked in the girl's brain. The girl blinked in confusion as she took a step back. She looked down at the floor beneath her. It suddenly began to buck and swirl beneath her as she stumbled backwards. She found herself falling into a pitch black darkness as the ground gave way beneath her. She was barely aware of the leopard bounding up the stairs but then her vision went black. She was just so tired and the darkness calling out to her was too tempting. With a soft sigh the girl gave up on her life, giving in to the persuasive voice that called her into the dark abyss. 


	2. Shattered Soul

Chapter Two: Shattered Spirit  
  
Audrey woke in stages from her deep sleep. At first she was distantly aware of soft sounds that gradually grew louder. The smell of bacteria-killing soap and latex almost gagged her as she entered the stage of alertness where the sense of smell kicked in. She could feel a dull ache in her ribs and a slight burning sensation in her arms. Not pain really, just enough to make her uncomfortable.  
  
She blinked groggily as she opened her eyes, so doped up on pain killers that she wasn't really sure where she was at first. The solid white walls eventually triggered a distant memory of being wheeled into the ER after being found by a neighbor. She giggled in a drunk-like manner as she remembered the big spotted kitty waiting patiently for her at the bottom of the steps before she blacked out back at the house. The drugs where making her a little giddy at the moment.  
  
Audrey noted with mute fascination that she could feel the two pieces of her broken rib rubbing against each other with every breath she took. She could count the stitches in her arms if she concentrated long enough. The drug-high girl passed the time this way until someone walked into her room. She meeped softly and looked over at the two girls standing in the doorway; one almost the same age as her and the other at least two years older then herself.  
  
Audrey stared solemnly at the other girls as they exchanged glances with each other. Audrey knew them alright; they had been her friends three years ago before she had been taken out of school. The taller and older one was Beth. She was two years ahead of Audrey in school, though now she was probably five years ahead as far as school courses were concerned. The other girl was Emily. Emily had been in the same grade as Audrey but it was debatable whether or not that was still the case. It was Beth who was first to break the heavy silence that had fallen on the room like a thick blanket, startling Audrey and making her jump.  
  
"Oh Audrey are you ok!? We saw what happened on the news; your story is on every news channel and in every newspaper!" the blond exclaimed as Emily rolled her eyes behind Beth's back. Audrey shrugged mutely, eyeing the two in uncertainty. She had lost her ability to trust people in the past three years and didn't know whether to believe Beth's concern or not. Three years was a very long time to be away from one's friends. Beth and Emily were strangers to her, as was everyone else she had known. The Audrey that they knew was dead, now and forever.  
  
"Beth, maybe we should come back later. I don't think that she is going to talk and the nurses told us that we could only see her for a moment." Emily said softly when the only sound in the room was the steady drip-drip of the IV and the tick-tock of the wall clock. Beth sighed and nodded, waving a short goodbye to Audrey and leaving with Emily. Audrey watched them leave then went back to counting the stitches in her arms.  
  
~  
  
"Gah! I can't believe that she wouldn't say anything to us!" Beth exclaimed once they had exited the hospital.  
  
"Well Beth, she has been traumatized and probably doesn't know what to think of everyone suddenly wanting to be kind to her. " Emily said while trying to calm her friend. Beth snorted and stormed off, leaving Emily behind. Emily growled in annoyance and stalked off in another direction; neither girl knew how to accept the way their friend was now. It was simply unthinkable. Emily had known Audrey for most of her life and to see Audrey a bandaged nervous wreak had shaken her up pretty bad. Beth hadn't known Audrey for as long, but to see her in that state was still disturbing. No one should have to live like that but as long as there are humans in the world then it will continue.  
  
~  
  
Meanwhile, halfway across town, a trail of bloody paw prints left a path that circled Audrey's house once before disappearing into the small wooded area behind the house. Lying in the shade of an old tree rested the leopard, the pads on her paws stained lightly with the man's blood. With an almost rueful sigh the leopard began to clean her paws, her ears turning this way and that to alert her if anyone was trying to sneak up on her. She highly doubted that anyone could sneak up on her, not with her excellent sense of smell and hearing.  
  
T'Kai got to her feet after a while, climbing into the largest of the trees and resting on one of the stronger branches. She felt as if she deserved a rest after successfully freeing the girl from her living hell. The shape shifting spirit felt only a mild sense of sympathy for the girl and, while she was bonded to the girl as some sick trick of the Fates, felt rather detached from the girl. There was no reason to get herself involved with the girl's life anymore. Audrey could fend for herself; she didn't need T'Kai.  
  
After roaming around the planet for 5,000 years, T'Kai's attitude wasn't a real surprise to anyone if they had known her. She had wasn't the motherly type and wasn't exactly all that cuddly. Once she had been these things but 5000 years had taken their toll on her. She had seen many people die and in the last thousand years had been the reason for many deaths. Since she was a shape shifter she could change her appearance to be any creature she desired except for one. T'Kai could not become human.  
  
Originally hailing from Egypt, T'Kai had been on every continent on the planet and had seen many new countries take their start including America, the one she lived in now. She was no stranger to a hard life and normally she wouldn't involve herself in the lives of humans, but Audrey had sparked a small ember of interest deep within her, enough to make her want to save the girl. Now that the step father was dead T'Kai felt as if Audrey wasn't her problem anymore. Oh if only she knew the changes that would be taking place in the next few months she would have known better, but at the moment all she concerned herself with was sleeping and relaxing. There was no reason for her not to...right?  
  
A/N: Ok,ok. This one isn't much better then the chapter I had up originally but it was the best I could do. Hopefully it isn't as confusing and I hope to have chapter 3 ready by the end of this week. 


	3. Priestess and Witch and Shifter, Oh My

Chapter Three: Priestess and Witch and Shifter, Oh My  
  
"A'Kuna, are you sure this is such a good idea? I mean she is our superior in many ways and knows this area!" Tabitha asked as she quickened her pace to match that of the ex-priestess from Egypt. The Egyptian snorted at the idea but knew that Tabitha was right. T'Kai had existed in the wilds for almost 5,000 years now. She knew what all of her forms were capable of and was not only stronger but faster then her fellow spirits. The shape shifter's mind had not faded like that of the others over 5,000 years or only a few centuries in Tabitha's case.  
  
"That may be true but you saw what she did to the man. What's to stop her from going after the girl as well? Trust me, I know T'Kai. She isn't one to leave loose ends untied." A'Kuna reasoned shortly. Unknown to the two was that T'Kai had no intention of going after the girl. She preferred leaving the girl alone, out of sight and out of mind. She wanted absolutely nothing to do with her.  
  
"But what about Beth? You may be putting her in danger by just charging up to her and demanding that she not kill anyone else!" Tabitha pointed out. "If T'Kai is as violent as you say she is what's to stop her from killing you?"  
  
A'Kuna paused for a moment; Tabitha was right. She didn't want to put Beth in danger! In fact she would never do anything to put the girl in harm's way if she could help it. She admitted to herself that her plan was rather dangerous and ill thought. If it failed there was no back-up plan to fall back on.  
  
"I'm beginning to see why you were killed during the Salem witch hunts!" The older spirited spat before heading on towards the wooded area behind the house. Tabitha sighed and rolled her eyes before following. She knew this wasn't a very good idea but she would do what she had to do to prove herself worthy of the yami title. She paused as a black cat chased after her and waited patiently for the creature to catch up.  
  
"About time you showed up! Where were you!?" the young witch hissed at the cat.  
  
"Sorry there old pal, but I was slightly busy trying to catch lunch. What's our friend over there up to?" the cat asked in his British accent.  
  
"Going to get herself killed." Tabitha mumbled as she silently forgave Saryon for being late. The cat looked over at what A'Kuna was doing and shook his head sadly.  
  
"It was nice knowing the old girl. Now what do you say to going to the local ice cream store and getting us a nice vanilla cone?" he asked, turning quizzical emerald eyes on her. Tabitha shook her head and stepped over him, following A'Kuna. Saryon's jaw dropped for a long moment and then, as if realizing how ridiculous he looked, shut it and scrambled off after the two spirits.  
  
A'Kuna motioned for the two late arrivals to be quiet as she pointed to the small woods. It wasn't even really a wood, just a simple area with a few scruffy bushes and briar patches with a few old trees that had survived the deforestation of the area half a century ago. Dead leaves and old candy wrappers and beer cans as well as a few bottles littered the ground. Half buried rocks rose from the forest floor like steps, leading to a single large bolder protected by the briar patch and blackberry trees. During the day the sun light hit the bolder directly, making it pleasantly warm all year except during rain or snow.  
  
A startled bird darted out of the bushes as the three made their way into what seemed like part of another world. Small rodents fled before them as a garter snake slithered off one of the smaller rocks, grumbling in his language about humans invading his privacy. Saryon eyed the birds and mice but a warning glance from Tabitha made him quickly forget his bottomless pit of a belly for the moment.  
  
In the dim light of dusk T'Kai watched them from her tree branch, her half closed eyes giving her a bored look. With a yawn she got to her feet and dropped lightly onto the bolder beneath the tree, stretching as the three spun around to look at her. Tabitha took a step back while Saryon seemed to faint at the sight of the giant leopard appearing out of seemingly thin air. Even A'Kuna seemed startled at the shape shifter's sudden appearance.  
  
/Did I startle you? Oh please do forgive me. Come, make yourselves at home. I'll gladly have you as my dinner guests.\ T'Kai purred her tone close to pure malice. She lay down on the stone without skipping a beat, her tail lashing from side to side as if to swat away invisible pests.  
  
"I see that you have gone back to your old ways T'Kai." A'Kuna stated, ignoring the silent threat. T'Kai turned her white hot void-like eyes on the other Egyptian, studying her for a moment before answering.  
  
/My dear friend. Where ever did you get that idea? And what do you mean by 'going back to my old ways?'\ she asked innocently while sneaking a glance at Saryon. The little black cat meeped softly and hide in Tabitha's cloak, his emerald eyes glinting like jewels from within the ebony fabric that hid him from view. T'Kai snorted softly, as if to say that he wouldn't make a decent meal anyway then looked back to A'Kuna.  
  
"You know what I mean T'Kai, and don't call me your friend" A'Kuna spat acidly.  
  
/Oh this must be about that man I killed the other day. I assure you that it was all with good reason.\ T'Kai said blandly, tiring of the conversation.  
  
"You killed him in cold blood! What is this so called 'good reason' of yours!?" The other hissed.  
  
/Why don't you ask Audrey? She will tell you everything.\ the leopard retorted, her claws making their way into sight. The wicked ebony meat hooks still had red tips, dyed for the time being with blood. Whether it was human or not was a mystery that Tabitha didn't want to uncover.  
  
"Audrey wont even speak to the therapist much less us!" A'Kuna cried, her temper hitting a boiling point.  
  
/I have nothing else to tell you. Now leave before the lot of you becomes my next victims.\  
  
"Is that a threat!?" A'Kuna growled.  
  
/No.\ T'Kai purred pleasantly. /That my dear priestess is a promise.\  
  
With that said the leopard disappeared, replaced by a raven that took to the air and vanished into the horizon. A'Kuna clenched her hands into fists, hand enough for her nails to pierce her skin and draw blood. Before Tabitha could ask if she was alright she turned on her heels and stormed off again, muttering Egyptian curses to herself. Saryon slinked out from hiding and watched her leave then turned back to Tabitha.  
  
"That went well." He muttered. Tabitha sighed and followed the Egyptian out, heading for the opposite end of town and towards Emily's house before the girl's parents became worried. Saryon looked over his shoulder at where the leopard had been moments before and shuddered, then darted after Tabitha.  
  
"TABITHA! WAIT UP! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE BY MYSELF!"  
  
A/N: Well, another chapter done like I promised. This chapter didn't really have much of a point except to introduce A'Kuna and Tabitha, characters that belong to my friends that I have gotten permission to use. A'Kuna is from Egypt same as T'Kai and Bakura and Yami. She was once a priestess living in Japan that came to Egypt and met T'Kai but only briefly. More about her in later chapters. Tabitha was a witch that was executed in the Salem Witch Trials in Salem during the...I think it was 1600s. If not then its some time in that era. Saryon is Tabitha's companion, a talking black cat that is supposedly a wizard that is being punished for abusing his power. Anyway, hopefully I'll have another chapter up by the end of next week. As always, R&R. 


	4. History Lesson

Chapter Four: History Lesson  
  
"A'Kuna, tell me what you know about T'Kai. I deserve to know since I got dragged into this mess" Tabitha said idly as she picked up Saryon. The two were staying with A'Kuna for the weekend after the two had convinced Emily and Beth that this was something that needed to be done. The two spirits were staying in a small house owned by their friend Adam's parents. It was supposed to be rented out but no one had taken up the offer and Adam's parents agreed to let the girls stay in the house over the weekend. A'Kuna looked up at Tabitha from the world map she was studying. She had marked the map with a red marker to represent the places an animal resembling T'Kai had been recorded in history.  
  
"I don't really know that much about her in reality. I only knew her for a little while in the past." A'Kuna admitted, earning a confused look from Tabitha.  
  
"Then how do you know that she is as violent as you say she is?" the young witch asked.  
  
"I just do, but if you really want to know I'll tell you what I remember. She originally came from a small desert tribe in Egypt. She was shunned for her..ability I guess you could call it. Shape Shifters were viewed by her tribe as hideous monsters. She wasn't much older then five when she was given to a traveling mage. She served as a servant to him until she was a teenager, then he shipped her off to the Palace and she was given to the Prince as a pet." A'Kuna said, closing her eyes to clearly remember her first meeting with T'Kai.  
  
*FLASH-BACK*  
  
A'Kuna lurked in the shadows of the market place as the golden grains of sands were blown in dizzying patterns by the desert winds. The desert residents didn't seem to notice them as they went about their normal days; milling around the market place to try and find the best deals or being the ones that were doing the selling. The guards for the Palace had long left for their shifts while the night guards were returning home to their families. All in all a pretty normal day from what priestess could tell.  
  
A'Kuna was not a priestess from Egypt. She had escaped from what one day would be called Japan and had traveled to Egypt in search of a place where she wouldn't be persecuted because of who she was. She had been here for nearly a month now yet had no connection to anyone here. They all seemed to be involved in their own lives with no concern for new comers to their kingdom. They were all happy enough under the rule of the Amenhotep dynasty. The Pharaoh was adored by his people, as was his son that would often time sneak out at night to mingle with the commoners. Prince Yami would frequently visit the dueling fields with his friends Jono and Teana. There was no reason for anyone to worry or be unhappy with their lives.  
  
However, this day wasn't like all others. An old mage still loyal to the Pharaoh was arriving this day with a gift for the Prince and his annual visit with his old friend. And there he was, riding in on a white desert stallion being followed by several of his servants, one of which led a beast of burden that carried baskets of random sizes. One basket in particular seemed important enough for a servant to be placed on the beast's back to ensure that whatever was in it didn't escape or fall out.  
  
Normally this wouldn't have caught A'Kuna's attention, but the hissing sound that emerged from the basket pricked her interest. A silver reptilian head peeked out from under the basket lid as a cobra struggled to get some fresh air. The servant girl looked down at it and sighed, shaking her head as she lifted the lid and grabbed the cobra behind its head.  
  
"T'Kai, stop trying to get into trouble. I don't want to get punished because of you." The girl said softly to the cobra, but it was loud enough for A'Kuna and the man in charge of keeping the servants in line gave the girl a quick rap with the handle of his sword. She meekly bowed her head and stuffed the snake back into the basket made out of dried river reeds, placing the lid back on it. So, the snake had a name did it?  
  
A'Kuna followed them until she was side by side with the basket and the girl. The servant looked down at A'Kuna with a frown but didn't say anything to her. The snake could be heard moving around in the basket that must be uncomfortable after a long journey. The servants walking on foot shooed A'Kuna away as they neared the palace but that didn't stop the determined young woman from blending in with the crowds that had gathered to watch the mage present his gift to the Pharaoh's son that had become an annual tradition.  
  
A'Kuna could see the Prince sitting boredly beside his parents, his tri- colored hair the most unusual aspect about him. He watched the proceedings with half closed eyes, looking very much like the tawny lithe-bodied felines A'Kuna had seen wandering about the streets and near the palace. Something about the way he looked told A'Kuna that he would rather not be here and she couldn't blame him. If she had a choice between sitting through an event such as this and being out with her friends, she would have chosen to be with friends...not that she had friends here.  
  
Her brooding came to an abrupt halt as the presentation of this year's gift began. She saw the servant girl from before approach the center of the room, her head bowed and her eyes adverted from looking at the royal family. She carefully set the basket on the floor and removed the lid, reaching inside and pulling out the cobra by its tail. The snake whipped around, as if to strike the girl. Instead, it merely coiled itself around and slithered up her arm, making its way across her shoulders and down the other arm before she let go of its tail and it touched the floor, flowing off of her arm like a small river.  
  
"It's a cobra." The prince said after a moment of watching the silver and blue reptile coil itself up on the floor.  
  
"Look closer young prince" the mage said. The prince sighed and watched the snake, his crimson eyes fading to a dull red as boredom set it. Slowly yet surely the scales on the snake were giving way to white and black feathers. Its body mutated, shorting and growing talon feet and two powerful wings. The last thing to change was the reptilian head, being replaced by a feathered head from which intelligent eyes set in a permanent glare stared daringly back at the prince. With a soft hiss the falcon flapped its pinions and perched on the servant girl's shoulder, gently nipping her ear in a sign of friendship.  
  
"A shape shifter?" The prince inquired of the servant girl. She nodded lightly, a barely noticeable movement of her head. The shape shifter turned its head towards the prince, its golden eyes locking with his own crimson ones.  
  
"She is yours Prince Yami. She is a very reliable servant that I have trained to obey everyday commands. She was given to me by her parents who saw her as a demon" The mage explained as the prince continued to have a staring contest with the bird that wasn't really a bird. "The girl is her care taker and will stay with her if you will have them." The mage continued.  
  
"What are their names?" the prince asked.  
  
"The girl is Alera, the shape shifter T'Kai." The mage answered. Yami nodded as he repeated the names over to himself. He nodded to one of the palace servants.  
  
"Take them to my chambers. I will decide what to do with them from there." He said. The servant nodded and led the obedient Alera out of the room. As for T'Kai, she flew back into the room with a soft squawk and landed on the arm of Yami's throne. The prince smiled faintly and gently stroked the bird's breast feathers as he had seen the falconers do to their birds. As he expected, T'Kai's eyes closed and she let out a soft chirp. A'Kuna, growing bored with the whole thing now, left with the crowds. She herself couldn't imagine being trained to obey commands or really being controlled by one person, but then again, she wasn't someone's pet and had a free will of her own.  
  
*END FLASH-BACK*  
  
"Yoohoo, anybody home?" Tabitha asked, waving her hand in front of A'Kuna's face. A'Kuna blinked then slapped Tabitha's hand away.  
  
"Gah! Don't do that!" she hissed.  
  
"Well excuse me but you were the one that zoned out and had a zombie-like expression on your face!" Tabitha growled and stormed off into the other room. A'Kuna sighed and pushed her chair away from the deck she was sitting at. Turning off the lights she got ready for bed, deciding to leave everything until morning. Things were always better in the morning.  
  
A/N: Well, another chapter done! This one is more of a filler chapter then anything and the ending kinda sucks but it was the best I could do one five hours of sleep. 


	5. Ensnared Hunter

Chapter Five: Ensnared Hunter  
  
Rain pounded heavily as T'Kai darted to and fro among the underbrush, feeling a freedom she hadn't felt in millennia. The rain meant nothing to her leopard form, which was used to the rainy season on the savannas of Africa. It had been six weeks since A'Kuna so rudely barged in on her privacy with that amateur of a witch, what had A'Kuna called her? Ah yes, Tabitha and that annoying bite-sized fur ball called Saryon. She had tricked them every time they came in search of her. A'Kuna was beginning to grind her nerves like she had back in Egypt when she kept sneaking into the palace with Bakura at night.  
  
A crash of thunder broke T'Kai's brooding and brought her to a halt. Turning white hot orbs towards the sky, she snarled, her ears flat against her skull. She trained her white, void-like eyes on the surrounding area and saw only the orphanage that Audrey had been placed in after being released from the hospital. T'Kai had visited her there once, just a short meeting between the two. She still didn't know why she had gone to see the girl in the first place; Audrey should have meant nothing to her! But the sad fact remained that Audrey was her last link to the human life and then there was that silver thread that connected her to the girl.  
  
Slinking forward towards the building T'Kai pondered why now of all times she was being drawn to the girl. After darting across the single lane road she shifted to the form of an owl and perched in the tree near the window that, ironically, was nailed shut. She could see into the building easily, could see Audrey huddled in the corner, apart from the other children and teens while an adult fussed at her for something or other that she had done. T'Kai felt her blood begin to boil as well as a sick feeling churn her stomach; Audrey didn't understand why people yelled at her when she did something that she thought was right, like refusing to eat or when she tore up book since she now hated them ever since her step father had struck T'Kai with one. She couldn't help the way she was! She hadn't been let out of the house in over three years and had forgotten how to interact properly with other people. Her step father had starved her as punishment and over time she just stopped eating altogether, claiming that she wasn't hungry when in reality her body was screaming at her mind to eat something, anything.  
  
T'Kai dug her talons in the soft bark beneath her as she tried to control her temper. She knew that Audrey had to learn how to interact within society again, but that didn't seem to mean anything to her sense of right and wrong. Strange; only a few weeks ago T'Kai didn't think that the girl meant anything to her and now she was ready to break the glass and take the girl with her. But then again, something didn't seem quite right about this picture. T'Kai didn't remember a tree being by the orphanage and she didn't hear anything from inside. No voices, no crying, no anything. She lightly dropped down to the ground, shifting to leopard before hitting the ground. She could not smell anything while in owl form.  
  
She had taken two steps when her hide leg suddenly gave way under her, sending her to the ground hard. She shook her head and looked over her shoulder to see what had happened. There, clamped securely to her hide foot, was a bear trap. Not the kind with the teeth but it had trapped her none the less. She couldn't shift; none of her forms would be able to break out of the trap. Her cobra form would still be trapped when her hind legs melted together to form the cable like animal while her bird forms wouldn't be able to stand up against the pressure being put on her hind leg. Slowly she stood up and tried to pull her foot free to no avail. The orphanage suddenly disappeared; it had been a hologram! No wonder she couldn't hear anything, there was nothing to hear!  
  
The smell of human and something that she couldn't place was soon detected by her sensitive sense of smell. She snarled and put her ears flat against her skull, drawing her lips back and bearing her fangs. Her claws dug into the ground beneath her as she roared a warning. It didn't matter, they weren't afraid of her. T'Kai yowled in surprise as a tranquilizing dart hit her left flank and struck out with a clawed paw, grabbing only air. She paced, snarling for all she was worth, even when she began to get drowsy and couldn't walk straight. Within a span of five minutes she finally found it too hard to remain on her feet and collapsed. With a soft growl she attempted to bat feebly at the men who surrounded her and lifted her into a plastic box with holes drilled in it to supply air but that were not big enough for any of her forms to escape through. The last thing she saw was a pair of yellow eyes that swirled menacingly from outside of the box before her eyes got too heavy and she had to close them.  
  
*Change in POV 0.o;*  
  
The man who had darted T'Kai turned to face the owner of the whirling eyes T'Kai had seen before she had given in completely to the drug. The creature was certainly not human, had never been. Standing on all fours with a long neck and tail, it was about the size of a German Shepard with a head faintly resembling that of a small dragon with foot long horns starting just above her eyes and going straight back with a slight curve upwards. Its front feet were more like hands, with a thumb like appendage and three 'fingers' while its hind feet were similar to that of a cat. Its tail twitched back and forth, looking like a snake slithering in the damp ground. Ridges ran from behind its head to the near tip of its tail. Its royal purple fur seemed to be resistant to the rain that pounded from the sky as it observed the leopard in the box.  
  
"Tell your master that I don't think this is such a good idea to capture the beast. If it turns on him there is very little that will keep it from killing him." One man said to the creature, clearly the leader of this operation. The creature turned its head to look at him, silently studying him for several minutes.  
  
"Do you doubt that my master can not handle this so called man killer? Was it not he who devised the plan to capture it?" it replied in a harsh feminine voice that was dripping with un-said threats.  
  
"N-no R-Rykuu. I-I wasn't i-implying that!" the man stuttered nervously, looking quickly to the others in the group. The other men ignored him and looked elsewhere, as if saying that they did not share his idea. The man let out a relived sigh as the creature called Rykuu got to her feet and turned as if to leave. In the blink of an eye she turned on him, leaping on him with claws out stretched and knocked him to the ground. She pinned him down, watching him shudder and snivel beneath her. She turned her head slightly, her eyes glistening with dangerous mischief.  
  
Slowly she let him up and backed away from him. She turned to the others and bid them good hunting after making sure that they would deliver T'Kai to her master. The men nodded and promised to have T'Kai transported to him within a few days then went to retrieve the drugged beast in the plastic box and prepare it for transport. Rykuu casually walked past the man that had voiced his doubts about her master. Casting a sideways glance at him she kept walking, opening a portal to the Shadow Realm while doing so. The purple creature walked directly into the portal while a different shadow creature leapt out and tackled the man, dragging him to his death into the dark abyss. With that the portal closed; the other men didn't even glance at where their comrade had once been. Once you crossed a creature from the Shadow Realm there was no apologizing. You had signed your own death warrant.  
  
*Yet another change in POV._.;*  
  
Pegasus sighed boredly as he awaited the return of his pet. He had sent the Shadow Fiend to accompany those bumbling idiots so that they would succeed in capturing the spirit that he had found out about from his pet when she had returned one night from surfing the information highway in the Shadow Realm. He silently mused about how much Rykuu had grown since he had found her a mere year ago. At the time she had been a kitten-sized ball of fur and horns that had fallen into the human realm while exploring the outer rim of the Shadow Realm. Now she was a graceful creature loyal only to him. Her twin sister Meikyuu would visit from time to time but the blue fiend seemed rather annoyed to be anywhere near Pegasus and left within a half hour after saying something that would make Rykuu pin her on the ground, standing over her and snarling like an angry dragon.  
  
In reality, Rykuu was the only one Pegasus considered a 'friend'. She had grown on him when he was lonely and depressed. She always had a kind word to say and seemed almost better at dishing out punishments to his employees then he was at times. Pegasus admitted that perhaps he had spoiled her, but seeing as he had no children Rykuu had taken on that role as well. He had found her at the young age of only a few weeks old and had raised her since then, serving her every whim and encouraging her whenever she failed to do something he asked of her, which was rare. She loved nothing more then to do his bidding, whether it be good or bad. If he wanted something done he knew that he could depend on her to get it done.  
  
As he was thinking over all the roles Rykuu had taken on over the past year she returned, bearing the news that T'Kai had been caught. Pegasus smiled and gently stroked the soft fur under her eyes. She sat patiently for this favorite pass time of hers that had developed during the times that her 'master' had needed to encourage her and now it was a sign of Pegasus being proud of her work or simply a sign of affection.  
  
"When she arrives we will release the girl on the separate side of the island. T'Kai can be manipulated quite easily if the girl is involved, proven by the way that she fell for the hologram tonight. I will restore the child's soul to her after T'Kai is released." Pegasus told his friend as he moved his hand away from her eye towards the silken fur of her neck. Rykuu closed her eyes and rested her head in his lap.  
  
"They pulled off the capture without much trouble. You were right about her weakness being the girl and that she was over-confident that she could avoid human traps. However, I had to get rid of one man. He doubted you and would have squealed if the group was caught." She said off-handedly, as if it were an everyday occurrence.  
  
"Its alright Rykuu. You didn't need to go through all that work. I could have paid someone to keep the matter out of court. If T'Kai can be tricked into believing that Yugi Boy would hurt her dear girl she will try to do away with him and anyone that stands in her way." He assured her. She thought this over for a minute before agreeing. If Rykuu had thought ahead she might have seen that there were plenty of things that could go wrong with this plan, but seeing as how it was her master's plan she wouldn't question it. She would never question her master for in her eyes he could do no wrong.  
  
A/N: Well, there is another chapter done. I know that a lot of you people hate Pegasus, but I for one like him, why else would Rykuu being serving him ^_^? Pegasus isn't all bad, just a bit misguided and Rykuu sees him as the ultimate master. Kinda like Mokuba and Seto; Mokuba doesn't believe that Seto can do anything wrong and idolizes his big brother. Rykuu doesn't believe that anything Pegasus does is wrong, even if it hurts others. As for T'Kai, well, you'll just have to read the next chapter to find out and guess what! Yugi and co are in the next chapter (finally .;) so you'll get to see how they play a part in all of this. There will be a slight bout of Tea/Anzu bashing but it wont be much...yet. 


	6. Master of Magicians

Quick A/N: This chapter introduces my last original characters that will appear in my story, human ones anyway. Ok, on with whatever I was saying. Magi and Khyber are Dark Magicians that could care less about Yugi. Don't tell me stuff about Yugi being Master of Magicians because in this case he isn't. Ok, on with the story.  
  
Chapter Six: Master of Magicians  
  
Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of the forests of Duelist Kingdom, dappling the ground with ever changing patterns that could never be reproduced or repeated. Nothing seemed out of place or out of the ordinary. Even the duelist sitting idly underneath one of the towering trees seemed to be part of the ordinary. The girl was alone; fiddling lightly with the dueling glove she had been given. She was a player killer, a duelist hired by Pegasus to weed out the competitors in the tournament so that only the strongest duelists made it to the finals.  
  
The girl sighed softly and closed her eyes, resting the back of her head against the tree trunk behind her. The wind ruffled her hair, playing with the sandy strands like a little kid. The sunlight glinted off the medallion that hung from the chain around her neck, attracting the attention of an old sea bird that had a weakness for shiny things. The sea gull dived towards the shiny thing that had caught his attention, heading blindly toward his death for when he got close to his goal he was struck in the side but something much larger then he. He felt a momentary burst of pain and then blissful nothing.  
  
The girl opened one ice colored eye after hearing the surprised squawk. She watched as a giant white wolf shook the life out of the old sea bird and sighed. She had no fear of the canine; he was a servant of hers, though not a very reliable one. The wolf looked back at her and dropped the beaten and bloody bird corpse, panting and wagging his tail like an overgrown pup. The girl shook her head and threw a stick at the playful wolf before standing up.  
  
The duelist's name was Danya Alexis Damall, simply called Alexis by her friends and family. She was the youngest in a family of six girls but didn't see her sisters very often; they had stayed with relatives when her parents moved to Japan from Australia. She was the typical rich brat that was used to getting what she wanted from everybody around her. Exceptionally sharp when it came to learning new dueling skills, she was a level headed duelist that wasn't one that you should mess with if you wanted a quick victory. Her father was an old business buddy with Maximillion Pegasus and she was no stranger to the island. To her this tournament was a walk in the park.  
  
The medallion she wore around her neck was something Pegasus had called a Summoning Chip. It allowed her to summon monster from the Shadow Realm, but only the Duel Monsters found in her deck like the wolf who, in reality, was a Silver Fang she had named Dakota. Dakota was more or less her pet, a playful companion that could turn on anyone except her in the blink of an eye. She had brought him with her to Duelist Kingdom so that he could help her track down weakling duelists. So far he had been doing a pretty good job but now he couldn't seem to find any worthy players. Oh well, Alexis had other monsters at her call. She sighed and snapped her fingers, the sound seeming to echo endlessly through the suddenly quiet forest.  
  
"You called?" asked a voice from seemingly nowhere.  
  
"What do you wish for us to do master?" asked a second voice as a pair of armored men stepped out from the dark hole that had opened in thin air. Alexis turned to study them silently. They appeared to be twins at first glance, but closer inspection showed the differences between the two.  
  
The first was clad in purple armor and grabbed in violet robes. He easily towered over his master and was taller then his counterpart, the second man who was in a strange sense his brother. His skin had a dark, almost tan color to it, his face framed not only by his armor but by his hair that was a darker shade of violet. He gripped a light green staff in his right hand, the magical jewel embedded in it glinting in the light that was allowed through the ever moving forest canopy. The Dark Magician seemed to radiate an aura of calmness that was contagious to most people as Alexis inspected his armor, which he held patiently still for.  
  
"Good as always Magi." She told him, patting his arm lightly.  
  
"Thank you Master Alexis" The magician, Magi, replied, his voice soft and warm. Alexis locked eyes with him for a second and, like any girl would, instantly became lost in the look of intense loyalty and intelligence she saw there as well as the hint of hidden power that glinted in the icy blue orbs. Alexis shook her head to clear it and moved on to the second magician.  
  
The second didn't seem quite as calm as the first. Indeed, he seemed to be the exact opposite of his brother. He gave off an aura that consisted mainly of anxiousness. He was ready to serve his master at the drop of a dime and seemed ready to jump on her if she didn't give him an order soon. His armor, while in the same style as that of Magi, was indigo, the bands that showed were the armor connected a bright red. His sapphire blue eyes glinted in anticipation as Alexis inspected his armor. He blushed lightly as Alexis grabbed his arms to make him stand still, smiling sheepishly as she glared at him while Magi shook his head sadly.  
  
"Khyber, when will you ever stay still?" Alexis asked the magician in a light reprimand. The blond haired magician attempted to remain still during the rest of his examination, a light blush giving color to his other wise white porcelain skin. After Alexis examined the green jewel in his staff she nodded to herself and gave him a quick pat on the arm like she had done to Magi.  
  
"Well done Khyber. Now, I want you two to go out a find a duelist, any duelist. Dakota has fallen down on the job." The semi-vain duelist explained. Khyber glared at Dakota; the Silver Fang put his tail between his legs until it rested against his belly and slunk off into the portal that the magicians had appeared from, closing the portal behind him.  
  
"We will not fail you Master." Magi promised then, dragging an indignant Khyber behind him, started to search for a duelist.  
  
*The oh so wonderful time passage! ._-;*  
  
Alexis boredly tossed her medallion up and down as she awaited the return of her two magicians. It had been an hour and still they hadn't returned. Oh what was taking them so long!? Were they no better then Dakota!? She caught her medallion one last time and was about to stalk off in the direction they had gone when they returned. Khyber was looking rather proud of himself while Magi worn his normal, impassive expression. Sometimes Alexis would have paid Magi to look a bit more animated but that had nothing to do with the matter at hand.  
  
"I found two duelists for you Master Alexis. Someone named Joey Wheeler and a little runt named Yugi Moto." Khyber said, his voice betraying his pride at having found not one but two duelists for his master while his brother hadn't found any. Magi, as usual, took no notice of his brother's slight gloating at doing something better then him. He was older then Khyber and didn't feel the need to show off all the time. His thoughts were broken by Alexis thanking Khyber and then telling both of them to lead the way.  
  
Khyber eagerly took charge, leading the way while Magi calmly walked beside Alexis. No words were exchanged during the twenty five minute walk and indeed they weren't really needed. The two magicians and their master had been through a lot together and each knew the other two's strengths and weaknesses. Though Magi didn't approve of Alexis' attitude sometimes, he valued her strengths and the ability to seem calm under fire. Khyber didn't like Magi's ability to be calm all the time but did value his brother for being unique and for bailing him out of trouble plenty of times while in the Shadow Realm. Alexis really didn't find any major faults or things she didn't like in her loyal companions and so she tended to treat them a whole lot better then she treated other people.  
  
Khyber emerged at the edge of the forested dueling area just in time for the trio to witness Yugi defeat Weevil. Alexis and the two magicians hung back and watched while Yugi's friends jumped around and congratulated him, Alexis feeling the familiar pang for human friendship that soon faded away when she glanced at Khyber and Magi. Who needed friends when you had loyal Duel Monsters at your call?  
  
"Well, very impressive...for a little runt." Alexis said after clapping for about thirty seconds. Yugi spun around to look in her direction while Joey and the others merely turned to look at her. They saw only her; Magi and Khyber had retreated to the cover of the trees.  
  
"What did you call him?" Joey asked, his eyes burning with hatred already for the girl. Sure, Yugi was short, but why did everyone have to pick on him?  
  
"A runt. Need me to spell it out for you? R-U-N-T." Alexis said arrogantly, crossing her arms and glaring at Joey. Joey suddenly came to the conclusion that he didn't like this girl. He didn't like her at all.  
  
"Stop insulting my buddy here, or else you'll have to answer to me." He growled while Tristan nodded in agreement. Alexis quirked an eye brow and stared at them, a smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.  
  
"So what if I insulted the little midget. Who are you, his mommy?" Alexis asked, egging the two on from where she stood. Scarcely three yards separated her from them and she was just beginning to poke the bears.  
  
"Ok, that's it!" Joey growled, leaping forward in an attempt to get to her while Tea and Tristan held him back.  
  
"Oh boohoo. A mean nasty mutt is coming to get me. I had better flee in terror." Alexis taunted, faking the act of being afraid. "But honestly, what did you plan to do to me?" she asked, getting serious again.  
  
"Well first I'm going to rearrange your face and then I'm going to make you regret the day you were born!" Joey hissed, seething by this point in time.  
  
"Bring it on Blondie!" Alexis said, sounding rather bored with the whole thing. Joey bolted away from Tristan and Tea, charging straight for her. Alexis yawned and look boredly at her nails even though she had impending doom hanging over her head. Just moments before Joey's hand would have connected with her face she dodged and the blonde's fist slammed directly into Khyber's armor. Alexis had been luring Joey to her all along, knowing full well that Khyber was not far behind her.  
  
Joey seemed to be frozen in time, staring dumbfounded at his fist. Khyber looked down at him then casually grasped Joey's wrist in his left hand and twisted it away from his armor. He let go of Joey's wrist and then grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him off the ground and holding him in the air over his head, his staff floating beside him. Tristan ran over to help his bud but was tripped up before he could reach the two macho blonds. When he sat up he found himself face to face with the end of Magi's staff which was aimed directly at his throat.  
  
"Well, that took a long time. What else you got for me?" Alexis asked, leaning against a tree nearby and watching this scene in amusement. She didn't notice Yugi until he was standing beside Tristan, looking daringly up at Magi. The Dark Magician stared at the small boy before him, his face as impassive as ever.  
  
"I don't know if my mind is playing tricks on me or not, but you're a Dark Magician aren't you?" Yugi asked of him. Magi glanced at Alexis, unsure of what to do. Alexis crossed her arms after a moment, a signal to Magi that he was free to answer whatever he wanted. He looked back at the boy and nodded slightly, the smallest movement if his head.  
  
Yugi smiled faintly and continued to look up at Magi, making the magician feel slightly uncomfortable for some reason. Maybe it was the fact that Yugi wasn't afraid of him or perhaps it was the feeling of an ancient darkness and power that lurked in the youth's eyes. Whatever it was Magi wanted to be free of it, free of the boy's gaze and free of the boy's presence. Then again, he didn't want to disobey his master. He turned his gaze away from Yugi, looking over his shoulder at Khyber and Joey.  
  
"Don't look away." Yugi said softly; something about the way he said it made Magi look back at him. "That's better. Now, tell me what your name is." Another command from Yugi, another command that Magi found himself obeying.  
  
"My name is Magi." The magician answered, his voice soft and hesitant like that of a shy child. This was ridiculous! Magi was used to obeying Alexis and Alexis only, but now he was obeying the commands of a mere child! He tightened his grip on his staff slightly and looked, no glared, at Tristan, who was trapped beneath it.  
  
"Magi, do not harm my friend. Please." Yugi said. Yet another command!  
  
Magi steeled himself as much as possible, freezing every joint in his body. He would not obey this boy! He served only his master and Alexis would always be the only person he relinquished his freedom to! His was a life of serving Alexis. Ever since he had gained the title of Dark Magician he had obeyed the command of the girl.  
  
His earliest memories were of kneeling before her when she was a mere child herself, around ten or so. She had been bullied by an older kid at school and had come home crying. Her parents were gone, out of town for the week. He had been summoned to her side when he heard her sobbing, coming freely to the human realm from the Shadow Realm by his own choice. He had towered over her then, like he did now. He could remember holding her in his arms as she cried, being the friend and older brother she never had. Magi could remember Khyber being there, but Khyber hadn't been much of a comforter back then and had stood around, occasionally asking Alexis if she wanted him to go teach the older kid a lesson. She had turned his offer down and snuggled against Magi, whose armor had been replaced by robes of rich violet and amethyst.  
  
Another memory flashed through the determined magician's mind, this one much more recent then the other. Two days before the tournament was set to begin, Alexis had confided in Magi that she doubted herself. She had been unable to make many friends and had been told by the more popular students that it was because she was weak. Dueling wasn't a skill, it was her weakness. They had said that the only reason why she spent so much time dueling and perfecting her skills was because she was afraid to mingle with 'normal people' and 'commoners'. Her parents' wealth was during her more harm then good.  
  
Magi had told her that she wasn't weak. After all, she could summon real Duel Monsters and control the beast-like ones when they were angered or hurt. Their respect for her was so strong that they dared not go against her. Not even the wild Blue Eyes that had broken away from his herd in the Shadow Realm obeyed her when he was in the human realm, which was extremely rare. Magi had pointed out that she was the one that had been strong enough to resist peer pressure during her middle school days and that she shouldn't start believing what others said was true now. He had been rewarded with one of her rare smiles and could physically see her self esteem improving. It was then and there that she had become determined to make the tournament hard for those who made it through their dueling opponents. Magi couldn't begin to obey Yugi now, not after what he and Alexis had been through. He wouldn't allow it!  
  
"No!" Magi declared, his eyes glowing like burning embers.  
  
"Leave my friend alone. Please Magi!" Yugi begged, ignoring the look of anger blazing in the magician's eyes.  
  
"Leave me alone! I won't listen to you!" Magi hissed defiantly, his body almost shaking with confusion and frustration. Yugi flinched slightly but other then that didn't give any ground in this matter. He was used to bullies and knew that standing up to them was the best thing to do.  
  
Sure enough after a few minutes Magi withdrew his staff and stormed off to stand beside Alexis, his body shaking in mental distress. Tristan got to his feet and stood beside Yugi, watching as Alexis said something to Magi. As for Khyber he still held Joey a foot off the ground, ready to send him on a one way trip to the Shadow Realm Graveyard. Revenge was a trait of this magician, evident in the way he seemed to be enjoying himself.  
  
A blur of white darted out from the tree line, slamming at full speed into Khyber and sending both the magician and Joey flying. Joey scrambled to his feet and backed away from the magician, watching as the white blur became a snarling wolf that was attempting to maim Khyber. Khyber threw the wolf off of him, getting to his feet and knocking the wolf aside with is staff as it lunged at him again. The wolf yelped as the staff was brought down hard on its back, sending it stumbling to the ground. Khyber was about to take out his anger on the wolf when two words made him freeze.  
  
"Don't kill!"  
  
That simple, two word phrase made Khyber forget about his anger for the moment, like all commands from his master did. As he lowered his staff and turned to watch her walking towards him he felt his heart fill with an almost possessive love for the one who he had sworn his loyalty to. In a way it drove him to the brink of insanity; his master was true example of a goddess trapped in a girl's body. She represented everything he couldn't have, even if he hadn't been a Duel Monster. He gazed down at her intently while she glared up at him.  
  
"What have I told you about committing senseless acts of violence!? You are making me look like an amateur who can't even control her own monsters!" Alexis proceeded to more or less scream.  
  
"It was Dakota's fault! If he hadn't..." Khyber trailed off as he saw the icy embers that where the eyes of the girl that stood before him, anger and malice predominant.  
  
"No more excuses Khyber! Dakota isn't responsible for his actions, but you are! Why can't you be more like Magi!? At least he listens to me!" The fed- up blonde shouted. Khyber stared at her silently, his mind numb from the shock of having his brother's name thrown in his face like that. He opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out.  
  
For the first time in his life he didn't know what to say. He had always seen Magi as someone to respect, but now he felt an odd burning sensation in his chest and realized that he hated his brother. He shot a contemptuous glance at Magi, who was standing nearby with a placid expression. Momentary confusion and hurt darted across the older's face as his gaze locked with his brother's. Khyber had never looked at him that way before.  
  
"What's going on?" Tristan asked Joey. Joey shrugged and elbowed him to be silent. A thick blanket of tension had fallen over the little forest clearing, making it hard to breathe. Anger and hurt feelings clogged the air, most of which seemed to radiate from Khyber. It was as if years of hurt emotions and resentfulness was coming out full force. Yugi found the edges of his vision growing fuzzy and dark as a cold feeling swept through those assembled in the area.  
  
Feelings of terror and hopelessness followed in the after wave coldness as the sun was suddenly blotted out by a dark cloud. Tendrils of black shadows erupted from the cloud, lancing out in graceful arches that molded themselves in the framework for the purple red and black blanket that was oozing its way over them. Pain shot through every nerve, clouding the mind and throwing everything out of focus. Distantly Yugi was aware of Tea asking where they were, her voice heavily laced with fear and the effort to keep from blacking out due to intense pain that seemed to be growing with every labored breath.  
  
"You're in the Shadow Realm" a now familiar voice said from behind them. Painful as it was the group turned to see Alexis standing with her back to them, seemingly unaffected by the pain that was being inflicted upon them. "Watch what you do and say. You are in a brand-new world and the rules here and very different. I suggest you start learning them now." 


	7. The Note

The Note  
  
Ok, a few things that I need to get straight. I am NOT abandoning this story as some people think I am and no I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth. I have just been busy with school and church stuff and haven't been able to get over a writer's block. Hopefully the said writer's block is no more and I will be able to finish this story and move on to the next one.  
  
The purpose of this note is to request help from the people who read my story. If you are reading without reviewing how will I ever know if people are reading this story? I am sorry to say that, if I don't get any reviews, the story will have to come to an end until I receive enough reviews to let me know that at least someone likes the story. If that doesn't happen then I'm going to have to stop working on the story and use my free time doing something else. Even a few words will do just fine.  
  
Other then that, all I have to say is that if you want to make a suggestion about what should happen next just post it in a review and I'll see what I can do. Just tell me what you would like to see happen in the story and, if I like your idea and can use it in some way, I'll be more then happy to include it in and will give you credit for it.  
  
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I promise not to change the ending of chapter six for a fourth time. I think I have enough of an idea as to what will be in the next chapter and won't have to change it again.  
  
Rykuu 


End file.
